Published September 21, 2021
Friends,
2020-2021 MACo President, Commissioner Doug Martens, Rosebud County
My time as President of MACo is coming to an end. It was an experience I will never forget. There are so many thank you’s in order–I can’t even begin to put them all down here. I started listing those who helped me out, and the list was just getting too long, so I will just say thank you to the MACo staff (especially Karen for keeping me from looking bad on stage).
We hear all the time about creating relationships, but that really is what we do. None of us can have enough experience to handle every situation so we rely on friends and coworkers to give us some insight. There were so many relationships I have been able to build that helped me along the way.
I, like Commissioner Gorder before me, wasn’t able to do all the traditional things MACo presidents usually do, because of the pandemic. However, my tenure was still a once-in-a-lifetime experience that will last forever.
The Legislative session was kind of a hybrid session but we got through it for the most part unscathed. I was also able to attend the NACo conference in Prince George County, and we were able to represent Montana values in a national setting.
To close I would like to take the opportunity to say thanks to Carl Seilstad for the nomination and the other commissioners who encouraged me. I will tell this story once more as I think it is relevant…
When I was the President of the Fire Wardens Association, we met with Carl who was the MACo president at the time. I introduced myself as the president of MACo, as I was so nervous talking to this powerful leader in our state. He smiled and calmly said not yet but maybe someday. It’s funny how some things come to be.
The moral of the story is that MACo is a very strong, well-respected organization, and I was blessed to be chosen to lead it for a short time. I would encourage everyone to continue to support MACo and volunteer to be a committee chair or fill in wherever your interest lies to keep our voice strong.
Thanks.
Doug Martens, MACo President
Rosebud County Commissioner